Beyond the urban gradient: Barriers and opportunities for timely studies of urbanization effects on aquatic ecosystems

dc.contributor.author	Carter, T	en
dc.contributor.author	Jackson, CR	en
dc.contributor.author	Rosemond, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Pringle, C	en
dc.contributor.author	Radcliffe, D	en
dc.contributor.author	Tollner, W	en
dc.contributor.author	Maerz, J	en
dc.contributor.author	Leigh, D	en
dc.contributor.author	Trice, A	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-06-06T06:48:55Z
dc.date.available	2014-06-06T06:48:55Z
dc.date.issued	2009	en
dc.identifier.issn	08873593	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://dx.doi.org/10.1899/08-169.1	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://62.217.125.90/xmlui/handle/123456789/4333
dc.subject	Development	en
dc.subject	Environmental gradient	en
dc.subject	Experimental design	en
dc.subject	Impacts	en
dc.subject	Paired watershed	en
dc.subject	Urban stream	en
dc.subject	Urbanization	en
dc.subject.other	best management practice	en
dc.subject.other	ecological impact	en
dc.subject.other	ecosystem health	en
dc.subject.other	environmental degradation	en
dc.subject.other	environmental gradient	en
dc.subject.other	experimental design	en
dc.subject.other	freshwater ecosystem	en
dc.subject.other	hydrological response	en
dc.subject.other	land cover	en
dc.subject.other	stream	en
dc.subject.other	urbanization	en
dc.subject.other	watershed	en
dc.subject.other	Etowah Basin	en
dc.subject.other	Georgia	en
dc.subject.other	North America	en
dc.subject.other	United States	en
dc.title	Beyond the urban gradient: Barriers and opportunities for timely studies of urbanization effects on aquatic ecosystems	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1899/08-169.1	en
heal.publicationDate	2009	en
heal.abstract	Many studies have shown that streams degrade in response to urbanization in the watershed. These studies often are based on use of biotic and abiotic variables to measure stream health across a gradient of land cover/land use. The results of these studies can be applied to other urban systems, but often fail to provide a mechanistic understanding of the urban impact, in part, because of the nature of the experimental design. We analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of using environmental gradient studies to further understanding of urban stream systems. We also evaluated alternative experimental design approaches, including best management practice monitoring, long-term watershed studies, paired-watershed studies, and before-after control-impact studies, which could be used to complement the gradient approach. We illustrate these theoretical discussions with an urban paired-watershed case study in the Etowah watershed in northern Georgia. Our goal is to move experimental designs in a direction that will further our mechanistic understanding of the effects of existing urbanization on aquatic ecosystems and will provide opportunities to evaluate stream responses to environmentally sensitive urban land cover. © North American Benthological Society.	en
heal.journalName	Journal of the North American Benthological Society	en
dc.identifier.issue	4	en
dc.identifier.volume	28	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1899/08-169.1	en
dc.identifier.spage	1038	en
dc.identifier.epage	1050	en